Vine-cutter.



PATENTED MAR. 13, 1906.

" A. J. McOREADY.

VINE CUTTER. APPLIUATION FILED DEC. 19, 1905.

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attozml gkb Wi wam 5M2? v fiwfiig UNITED STATES 1 To aZZ whom it may concern:

PATENT OFFICE. i

ANDREW J. MoCREADY, or PARKSLEY VIRGINIA.

VlNE-QUTTER.

a citizen of the United States, residing at Parksley, in the county of Accomac and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vine Cutters, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in vine-cutters of that class which are drawn by horses and used forcutting vines that grow 'close along the ground, such as potato and pea The improvements are particularly applicable to such vine-cutters as the one for.

'which Letters Patent of the United States were granted to me November 13, 1900, No.

view, on

cutter.v Fig. 2 is a detailview taken on sec tion 2 2 through the beam, showing the runner parts arranged for a singlerunner. Fig. 3 is a detail showing the runner parts arranged for a double runner. Fig. 4 is a detail of the rear standard of the runner. Fig. -5 is a sectional view, on a larger scale, on line 5 5 of the beam, showing details of the improved adjustable bearings of the cutting-blades. Fig. 6 is a side view of the point, cutter-blade, and the adjusting-brace. Fig. 7 is an edge a larger scale, of the parts shown in Fig. 6.

In the drawings the letter A designates the beam, which has two slots 0 0 opening vertically throughit. An improved runner is provided, comprising two bars d, both curved at "their forward end like a sled-runner.

, apart, as in Fig. 3 to form a double runner.

The extreme forward and upward curved end .of each runner has a lateral arm d, which carries a bolt d The forward ends of the two runner-bars main member of which-is inserted in the for- .head. It will be seen that'the two lateral arms 01 on the runners take belowthe crosshead, and the bolt d carried by each lateral omittedinthisfigure. The invention is illustrated in the draw-.

Patented March 13, 1906.

arm, projects through one of the slots 6 Be it known that I, ANDREW J .MoCREADY,

the cross-head- The nut on the bolt enables the latter to be tightened, and thereby the parts secured in position. I It will also be seen that the two runner-bars (i may be set, as in Fig. 2, with their lateral arms 6." pointing will form asingle runner, or they may be set, as in Fig. 3, with the lateral arms (1 pointing toward each other and forming a double runner.

The rear partof the runner is held by an inverted-T piece similar to that used at the forward end and the shank of which is inserted in therear slot 0. Fig. 4 shows the. construction of these rear parts; but the beam is Two rear supportingaway from. each other, in which case they standards u are employed, one foreachrunner. Each standard has its lower endsecured to oneof the runners by a bolt or rivet v, and the upper end of each has a lateral arm to, rovided with a slot ur 'and carrying a bolt a j t will be understood that the lateral arms to on the rear standards take below the cross head and are secured bythe bolts u and may be adjusted by the slots.

When the runner is arranged to act as a singlerunner, the rear parts will have the o- 7 sition shown in full lines in Fig.4 but w en arranged to act as a double runnerthat is, the tworunner-bars separated and spaced apartthe rear supporting-standards u will have theposition indicated by the broken lines in Fig. 4. 3

The foregoing-described construction pro vides for using the cutter with either a single or double runner, according to the topography or characterof the land.

The cutter-blades C are each carried by a U-shaped arm B, oneround end prong i of which fits in a bearing g, whereby the other arm Z, to which the blade is attached, may be adjusted in a swinging or curved plane, caused by said round end being turned in the bearing. A set-screw 'i on the said bearing 9 is used to retain the prongin any position of adjustment. The means of adjustment just describedis shown in my prior patent already named.

I have now provided additional means for effecting another adjustmentnamely, in

The bearing g, therefore, in this improvement is not rigidly secured to the side of the beam A, as in my prior patent. In the present instance this bearing has a boss on its upper side and a bore or hole 9' opens through this boss in a direction at right angles relatively to the bore or bearing in which the round end of the prong t fits. The said bore 9 takes on the trunnion g, which projects horizontally from the side of the beam A. Thus the bearing 9 may be tilted on the trunnion in a vertical plane at right an les with respect to the swinging or curved p ane in which the free end of the U-shaped arm B may move.

The trunnion g in the present instance is fixed to a plate securely bolted to the side of the beam. plate of this kind with a trunnion is secured at each side of the beam A, as seen in Fig. 5. A set-screw q enters through the boss into the side of the bore or hole 9 and impinges against the trunnion g, and thereby retains the bearing 9 from movement and holds it at any angle to which it may be tilted.

I have improved the construction of the cutter-blade parts and have provided means that enable the cutter-blade to be adjusted independently of the point and also independently of the U-shaped arm B that carries the blade and point. This construction will now be described.

The end of the arm Zfits in a socket r and is held there by a set-screw s. The letter 25 designates the point, C the cutter-blade, and

'w the adjusting-brace. The point t is connected with the socket-piece r by a pivotscrew 1" on the runner part of the point, and the latter has a short crosswise slot in which takes a set-screw t. By this construction the said point may be tilted more or less on the pivot-screw 7" independent of the socketpiece and held by the set-screw t. The point t has an upper front pivot t to which the forward end of the cutter-blade C is jointed. The point 15 also has a rear pivot t to which the adjusting-brace w is attached. This brace is a connection between the point-piece t and the cutter-blade C and serves to stay and support the blade in any particular adjustment on the front joint t to which it may be set. The brace w is movable on the rear pivot i This brace has a bend or angle part w, which is provided with a slot 20, and a set screw or bolt 13, attached to and carried by the blade 0, projects through said slot and may be tightened when the parts have the desired position. The brace to at its end has another slot 1 through which projects a set screw 1 which is also attached to and carried by the blade C. The two slots in and y in the brace are shaped to permit the brace to move on its pivot t with due regard to the fact that the radius from the said pivot to the slot :20 is shorter than the radius on the cutter-blade from the pivot t to the bolt ac, which is movable in said slot :0. The arrangement here shown of point-piece it, cutter-blade C, and brace w enables the cutter blade to be adjusted independently of said. point-piece and also independently of the end Zof the U-shaped arm.

It will be seen that the point-piece t may be tilted relative to the socket-piece 1' and that the heel end of the cutter-blade may be raised or lowered relative to the point-piece.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a vine-cutter, the combination of a beam; a runner composed of two bars which are adjustable for use for both a single runner and a double runner; carrier-arms attached to the beam at each side, and a cutting-blade carried by each of said arms.

2. In a vine-cutter the combination of a beam; a runner; a bearing, g, mounted on a trunnion projecting from the side of the beam; and a blade-carrier arm having a rounded upper end which fits in said bearing, whereby the free end of the arm may be adjusted in a swinging or curved plane, and the bearing of the arm may be adjusted by tilting in a plane at right angles with respect to the said curved plane.

3. In a vine-cutter, the combination of a beam; a runner; a U-shaped arm pivoted by one of its prongs to the beam; a vine-cutter blade and point-piece carried by the other prong, and said blade and point-piece each adjustable independently of the said prong.

4. In a vine-cutter, the combination of a beam; a runner; a U-shaped arm pivoted by one of its prongs to the beam; a point-piece carried by the other prong of said arm; a cutter-blade jointed to the point-piece and an adjusting-brace also jointed to the point piece and set-screws for securing said brace to the cutter-blade.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ANDREW J. MCCREADY.

Witnesses:

W. H. REW, FLETCHER BARNES. 

